Every year the Santa Cruz Arts Council Associates puts on the Gail Rich Awards at the Rio Theatre. You've probably never been, but I think yo u should go. Here are my top 10 reasons to go to your first Gail Rich Awards next Wednesday, Jan. 28.

It's a awards show that celebrates the spirit of the arts in Santa Cruz by formally recognizing, "our friends and neighbors who are committed to living lives of artistic passion."

You will be way more inspired than usual on a Wednesday night.

It will give you that feeling of community that you forget you love until you experience it again and then remember it is why you live in an artistic community in the first place.

There will be live music.

It's free.

You will hear stuff like this (quote from honoree Robbie Schoen): "I want to do what art is supposed to do," Schoen said. "I want it to stop people in their tracks and give us pause to reflect on our place in the world as human beings. It's here to remind us of the things that matter and take us away from our day-to-day lives."

Excellent networking, especially if you like the artist types.

There is often wine.

You pay a lot of money to live in a town that has really cool shit like this, but if you don't go out and support it, it goes away.

There are always free cookies.

I really hope I see you there.

19th Annual Gail Rich Awards
January 28th, 2015 at 7:30pm
Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave. in Santa Cruz
FREE and open to the public